Assessing social capabilities for new technologies, innovation and job creation

One of the most important challenges for ILO constituents is to formulate and implement policies that can generate a dynamic, sustained and inclusive process of productivity growth and job creation for employment and decent work. Some developing countries were able to trigger and sustain such a dynamic process, while many other countries still show limited progress. While traditional growth theories assume markets to generate jobs automatically through economic growth, recent research at the ILO highlights structural transformation, diversification and rising economic complexity as drivers for a productivity-cum-employment growth. ILO research also shows that such innovation dynamics requires a fundamental transformation of a society’s knowledge base. It is the particular skills mix, the socially shared beliefs, mind-sets and culture, the shared rules reflected in institutions and the socially shared technological knowledge that determine the potential patterns of change in production and export structures, The social knowledge base is critical for the innovation capabilities of the labour force, teams in enterprises and communities, and thus shapes the paths towards more and better jobs. This pilot project aims at assessing innovation capabilities in South Africa for informed advise to ILO constituents to design structural transformation/ industrial policies based on existing capabilities. It will therefore explore the South African economic and industrial development strategy in the light of existing social capabilities to understand limits and opportunities. Moreover, the study will help policy makers to design comprehensive learning strategies to enhance innovation capabilities and expand the opportunities for diversification and structural transformation with the overall goal to create a dynamic process of sustainable development, jobs and inclusive and resilient societies. The study will explore a variety of existing methodologies and apply empirical studies to assess innovation capabilities in South Africa in selected sectors in close collaboration with the local research community and ILO constituents. Based on the findings and lessons learned in this pilot project, a follow-up project is envisaged to develop tools and instruments for further testing in additional countries. These tools will complement ILO’s policy package for the generation of good jobs, employment and decent work in member countries.

Project symbol

ZAF/19/01/FLA

Admin unit

RESEARCH

Start date

01/12/2019

End date

30/11/2021

Total allocation

87010

Total expenditure

Status

Closed

87010

Development Partners

Belgium, Government of Flanders, Department of Foreign Affairs

Country/Countries

Global

Outcomes

Outcome 3: Economic, social and environmental transitions for full, productive and freely chosen employment and decent work for all